Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,490 in Karmøy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,838 in Karmøy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,185 in Karmøy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Karmøy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Karmøy is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$24.81 NOK 235

-92.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$99.6 NOK 941

-81.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$13.60 NOK 129

-42.50%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$4.83 NOK 45.66

-59.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ฿27.90

$3.19 NOK 30.20

-73.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$2.94 NOK 27.76

-88.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$9.93 NOK 93.9

-78.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.38 NOK 88.7

-60.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.25 NOK 21.30

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$3.32 NOK 31.41

-50.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$3.33 NOK 31.49

-65.77%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$4.42 NOK 41.83

-56.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$12.17 NOK 115

33.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.81 NOK 140

-78.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$28.09 NOK 266

-61.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$3.53 NOK 33.35

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$2.50 NOK 23.61

-51.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$3.37 NOK 31.89

-51.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$4.50 NOK 42.53

-64.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$2.48 NOK 23.44

-43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$2.50 NOK 23.59

-53.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$2.76 NOK 26.14

-76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$1.92 NOK 18.16

-72.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$13.83 NOK 131

-66.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$18.34 NOK 173

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$3.26 NOK 30.83

-44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.08 NOK 38.61

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$4.31 NOK 40.74

-79.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$72.7 NOK 687

-73.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$10.02 NOK 94.7

-85.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.45 NOK 13.69

-11.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$46.91 NOK 443

-83.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.08 NOK 19.67

-38.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$35.1K NOK 331.8K

-39.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$39.2K NOK 371.0K

-43.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$69.1 ฿2,266

$244 NOK 2,306

-71.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.08 ฿462

$37.96 NOK 359

-62.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$55.4 NOK 523

-67.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$49.25 NOK 466

-16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$34.82 NOK 329

-80.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$16.76 NOK 158

-64.68%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$299 ฿9,811

$282 NOK 2,668

5.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$10.3K NOK 97.0K

45.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$95.9 NOK 906

-42.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$51.7 NOK 488

-48.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$107 NOK 1,009

-20.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$154 NOK 1,451

-54.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

-64.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$877 NOK 8,293

-72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$1,789 NOK 16.9K

-55.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,532 NOK 14.5K

-66.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$6,260 NOK 59.2K

-68.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$4,632 NOK 43.8K

-68.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$4,169 NOK 39.4K

-85.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karmøy: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,219 in Karmøy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 575% higher in Karmøy, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $100 in Karmøy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $458 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Karmøy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karmøy costs about 187% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,735 in Karmøy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $282 in Karmøy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Karmøy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Karmøy at $2,490. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karmøy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,490 in Karmøy. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karmøy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.